2. amps-preamps
  3. 172369-91258

Solid state amp recommendations for Maggies?

I am looking for another amp to drive my magnepan LRS, looking for a solid state amp to deliver more detail than my current tube amp, but don't want to give up (much) of the soundstage and depth.

I have a small listening room with a near field set up, so I don't need a ton of power for ear piercing volume. I listen mostly to acoustic rock, acoustic jazz and female vocalists.  I want more the guitar on Keith don't go and hotel canifornia intro from hell freezes over to  to sound... better...

at the risk of sounding stupid, I am driving these $650 speakers with many thousands of dollars of electronics.  The amp is a Primaluna HP (80wpc using 4 EL34s per channel), CJ ET7 preamp, PS Audio Direct stream DAC and a Naim digital source. All with MG audio silver interconnects and speaker wire. Even the interconnects cost more than the LRS.  

I am very happy with my current set up, but would like to grab another amp to a change of pace.

My budget is $5-8K, used or new.  My room is such that mono blocks set up well, but that is not necessary. 

thoughts/recommendations?

 

 

meiatflask
aviblack's avatar
aviblack
1 posts
 

I have an Odyssey Audio Stratos (with their Candela tube preamp) driving my LRS’s with powered sub and it’s FANTASTIC. Will be below your budget, so getting a top-notch powered sub will be a great add.

rsudding
15 posts
 

Based on my experience Naim drive maggies really well. Tends to be good synergy. Others that have sufficient power to drive maggies are Hegel and more left field Gato. 

rbertalotto
138 posts
 

The Eagles have some of the worst sound production in existence. They were penny rich and dollar dumb business people. They cut every corner they could out of greed for green and their record production took the biggest hit.

Most accurate thing I’ve read all week! I have MMGs and don’t have the HiFi budget you folks are playing with. I’ve driven them with four different amplifiers....Cambridge Audio 840 AZUR, Yamaha M45, VTA St120 Dynaco Tube clone and Sound Artist SA200ia.....As weird as it may sound, the $500 Sound Artist amplifier blows all the others away driving these speakers.......Just thought I’d throw this into this mix as many folks buying $650 (Recently now $750) speakers might find it impossible to spend upwards of $10,000 on an amplifier...You think?

 

gumbedamit
109 posts
 

I own and have owned several Maggie's.  My current system is the 20.1 paired with Classe CAM350'S .I would look for an early Canadian model unit. CA200, something in that category.  There's an Stereophile article reviewing the CAM350'S with 3.6's. That told me all I needed to know.  Check out the article before you make a decision. 

 

davidclarke
43 posts
 

Benchmark AHB-2 - Get 2.  Amazing amps!

 

 

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